Hello everyone!
Just an announcement that Hocchiku Master Atsuya Okuda will be coming =20=
at the end of the month for a concert and workshop in Vancouver, BC, =20
Canada. Below are the details. Please come if you are in the area.
And... whoever is interersted in coming on the Shakuhachi Roots =20
(Harvesting)/Pilgrimage to Japan in November please let me know asap as =20=
we are now solidifying the final schedule and will be buying plane =20
tickets soon. So far there will be 5 of us going this year.
Bamboo-in is offering now offering weekend intensive retreats focussing =20=
on the study of shakuhachi playing and meditation.
Below are details.
Hope you are all doing wonderfully well.
Warmest regards,
Alcvin
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~~~~~~~~~
Event: Atsuya Okuda, Master of Hocchiku Concert
date: September 30, 2005
time: 7:00 PM
location: St. James Community Square, 3214 West 10th Avenue
Vancouver, B.C. V6K 2l2 - Phone: 604-739-9373
city: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Fee: $20 general and $15 seniors and students
details: Hocchiku master, Atsuya Okuda will play classical
Japanese honkyoku on jinashi/hocchiku flutes of various
sizes.
Event: Atsuya Okuda hocchiku workshop
date: Saturday, October 1, 2005
time: 12:00 PM
location: @ the house of Peter Smith.
Afterwards there will be a
potluck-dinner. Please bring something tasty. Suggested
donation $20.00/pay what you can. Please call or email to
register. 604-883-2023/ramos@bamboo-in.com
*Those wishing for a private lesson: $50.00 per person.
Please call in advance to arrange a time.
604-883-2023/604-788-0060 (cell).
city: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Fee: Suggested donation: $50
Event: Atsuya Okuda honkyoku offering
date: Sunday, October 2, 2005
time: 7:00 PM
location: Sunshine Ch'an Buddhist Temple, 11148 Highway 101
city: Halfmoon Bay, BC, Canada
Fee: by donation
details: Hocchiku master, Atsuya Okuda will make and offering classical
honkyoku at the Sunshine Ch'an Monastery on the beautiful
Sunshine Coast of BC, Canada.
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~~~~~~~~
"Shakuhachi Roots"
http://www.bamboo-in.com/about-us/rootstrip.htm
Bamboo Harvesting Trip and Pilgrimage to Japan
Estimated cost for one person in CA$ will be close to
$4500.00 So budgeting for about $5000 for the trip is a safe
bet.
Purpose:
The aim of this trip is to give all shakuhachi students and
friends the opportunity to connect back to the roots of the
shakuhachi flute. Learning shakuhachi is not just a
mechanical learning of notes on a page, but a whole cultural
experience which entails physically and spiritually feeling
the country of the shakuhachi's origin, Japan.
Non-shakuhachi players are also welcome to join as it will
be a very unique journey into traditional Japan.
Bamboo-In places importance not only on playing shakhachi,
but also on making one's own, individual hocchiku
Shakuhachi. Every year in late autumn, Bamboo-In director,
Alcvin Ramos arranges trips to Japan to harvest bamboo with
Atsuya Okuda and the Zensabo. Participants spend two days
visiting Nagano prefecture where the best bamboo is found.
We participate in an outing of harvesting amongst the fresh
air and beauty of Japan's mountainous countryside. During
the field trip, members are trained how to select, harvest,
and dry bamboo for their own hocchiku shakuhachi. Other
activities on the trip include visiting Kyoto Meianji, and
other sacred places of Japan. You can read about our first
"Roots Pilgrimage" in 2004 here:
http://www.bamboo-in.com/about-us/Piligrimage.htm
This year (2005) will have a special focus on the connection
between Zen and Shakuahchi in today's Japan. We will be
traveling from Tokyo to Nagano to Kyoto to Fukuoka. In
addition to harvesting bamboo again with Atsuya Okuda and
the Zen Sa Bo, we are planning to visit and practice at
Hakata Iccho Ken (temple of Watazumi-doso) in Fukuoka;
visiting shakuhachi playing Buddhist monk, Yano Shiku, the
abbot the of Kokushou temple in Aichi, as well as Higashi
Myogi, student of Watazumi-doso and the abbot of Tengenji
Temple in Tokyo; and pay a visit to Katsuya Yokoyama Sensei.
November is one of the best times to go to Japan as the
plane fares are quite low and the weather is excellent, not
to mention the spectacular color displays of autumn leaves'
colours. And of course the bamboo is ready for harvesting!
Other side activities will or may include:
--visiting the famous pottery town, Hagi-shi in Yamaguchi
Prefecture
--visiting Miyajima Island in Hiroshima, site of the famous
Great Tori Gate
--visiting ancient reliquaries in Nara, the ancient capital
of Japan
--visiting the oldest Shinto Shrines in Japan (Ise and
Tsubaki) and partaking in misogi (water purification)
--partaking in the Chichibu Night Festival
Please keep in mind that this schedule is relatively
flexible. If you want to alter it in any way to your needs
please feel free. Otherwise it is encouraged that everyone
stick together for group solidarity and support, especially
for those first-time visitors to Japan. Maximum number of
participants for this trip is 8 so please reserve your space
soon!
Please confirm if you will be joining the trip and if you
have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
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Weekend Intensive Shakuhachi Retreat at Bamboo-In
Tuition Cost: CA$350.00
In keeping with the spirit and tradition of shakuhachi
learning, Bamboo-In offers an Intensive Retreat Program
(IRP) for all levels of shakuhachi students. The Intensive
Retreat Program enables students to stay and practice/study
shakuhachi at Bamboo-In. The maximum number of retreat
participants is 2.
The Intensive Retreat Program offers the opportunity for an
intensive period of practice/study with Shakuhachi Shihan,
Alcvin Takegawa Ramos. At a retreat we separate ourselves
from our daily affairs in order to sink deeply into
shakuhachi practice, free to transcend the background
chatter of our busy, superficial mind. Combined with daily
meditation and misogi, we can feel a union with nature and
ourselves through our practice of learning koten shakuhachi.
Intensive Retreat Program Tuition
Tuition includes lodging, breakfast, lunch and dinner, all
instructional fees, and participation in cultural events.
There are grocery stores within driving distance from the
dojo and kitchen and laundry facilities on the premises.
A deposit of $100 (personal cheque or money order) is due at
least two weeks before your term begins. This deposit is
applied to your tuition. The balance of your tuition is due
upon your arrival. Tuition is non-refundable once the
student term begins. We do not accept credit cards.
Refunds/cancellations:
Refunds for the $100 deposit are given only if you cancel 2
weeks in advance.
How to apply=85
Occupancy varies throughout the year as individual terms do
not begin at the same time. It is best to apply early for
the time you wish to participate in the program. It is
suggested to include a first- and second-choice of when you
would like to begin your first term.
Please send a letter of request to enter the program that
includes background information about your shakuhachi
studies, what you would like to study, and dates you would
like to have your retreat. Your letter will be responded to
promptly.
To apply, please email ramos@bamboo-in.com
or.............
send your application request letter, along with a stamped,
self-addressed envelope, to:
Intensive Shakuhachi Retreat at Bamboo-In
c/o Alcvin Ramos
S9-C3
Madeira Park, B.C.,V0N 2H0
Canada
Guidelines
The Intensive consists of 4 blocks of shakuhachi training:
early morning shugyou and meditation, late morning lesson,
afternoon hocchiku construction (optional), and evening
lesson and meditations. If you would like to purchase a
stalk of raw madake bamboo please specify length and size of
bamboo blank. (Please inquire for availability of bamboo stock.)
Bring clothing suitable for meditation and exercise. Bring
solid, dark or muted, comfortable clothing. If you have a
samue (Japanese monk's work clothes) please wear that. Spend
your free time enjoying the surrounding area by walking,
hiking, resting and of course practicing shakuhachi.
Meditation and spiritual practice (shugyou) are important
parts of the retreat and each person is expected to
participate fully in all facets of the Training Period.
Silence/sounds
The retreat will largely be held in silence. During
shakuhachi lessons words will be used, as well, perhaps at
the Monastery during Dharma talks. Otherwise, speaking will
only be used if there is a pressing issue.
10 minutes before meditation, hocchiku lessons, and meals,
there will be the sound of wood clappers.
Playing at the Monastery
There will be opportunity to offer honkyoku at the Sunshine
Ch'an Buddhist Monastery after silent meditation. The
purpose of this practice is to help everyone develop an
equanimous mind while listening to a sound. There is no need
to feel the pressure to perform as no one is there to judge
your playing. Use this great opportunity to deepen your own
practice.
Playing Outdoors
Playing outdoors is a way to connect with the surrounding
environment in a profound way. As you play, you will be
literally merging with all things. Feel the expansiveness of
nature=92s beauty and try to project your sound into current
of life energy to make your bamboo sound and echo into every
corner of the landscape.
Sample Retreat Daily Schedule
5:30 am
Rise
6:00 am
Walking meditation/Shugyou
7:25 am
Zazen
8:00 am
Breakfast, rest, free time
9:00 am
Meditation at Sunshine Ch=92an Monastery (Sunday morning
only; opportunity for offering honkyoku)
10:00 am
Shakuhachi Lessons
12:00 noon
Lunch, rest, free time
1:30
Hocchiku construction
4:00 pm
Shakuhachi Lesson
6:00 pm
Supper, free time, rest
7:30 pm
Meditation at Sunshine Ch=92an Monastery (on Thursday night
only; opportunity for offering honkyoku)
10:30 pm
Retire
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~=20=
~~~~~~~~
=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D
Alcvin Takegawa Ramos
Director
The Shakuhachi Society of BC (Bamboo-In)
=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D<+>=3D
S9-C3
Madeira Park, B.C.,V0N 2H0
Canada
tel: 604.883.2023
cell: 604.788.0060
MAIL: ramos@bamboo-in.com
WEB: http://www.bamboo-in.com/about-us/ramos.htm
_____________________________________________
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http://communication.ucsd.edu/shaku/listsub.html
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